Fakhrul: BNP ready to defy ‘curfew’ even to hold Khulna rally

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Wednesday that his party was ready to defy a curfew even to make their upcoming anti-government rally in Khulna a success.

He made the remarks in the wake of a decision by transport owners and workers in Khulna to suspend bus services ahead of their party’s rally in the southwestern region’s biggest city on Saturday.

“They (govt) also stopped vehicle movements in Mymensingh, but they failed to stop people. In the same way, you’ll see people will join the rally in Khulna to push their demand for democracy, no matter whether the transport service is suspended or not,” he told reporters at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office after talks with two political parties.

He said people came to their Mymensingh rally by trawlers, boats, rickshaws and on foot.

“Even, many rickshawpullers did not take fare from them (BNP leaders and activists). This is called people’s participation. Even, we won’t concede to any hartal, curfew as we’ll be present there (Khulna) by braving all obstacles,” he said.

As his attention was drawn to the Prime Minister’s previous comment that BNP would be allowed to hold political programmes, Fakhrul said Awami League still could not live up to its any word or promise.

“They do the opposite of what they say. So, there’s no reason to believe Awami League.”

About Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader’s remark that BNP is daydreaming of another 1/11 like political changeover, he said the Awami League has the habit of doing that.

“That’s why they think like that." “We don’t daydream. We dream of seeing a democratic Bangladesh, restoring people’s voting rights, and establishing true democracy," the BNP leader observed.

Replying to a question, he said BNP has no objection if the ruling party takes to the streets exercising their democratic rights. “At the same time, the democratic rights of all the opposition parties also must be ensured. As government, it’s their responsibility to do.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Khulna bus-minibus owners association and motor workers’ union decided to keep bus services suspended on October 21 and 22 due to the BNP’s divisional rally on Saturday (October 22).

As part of its divisional rallies, BNP is expected to organise the rally on Sonali Bank premises in Khulna city in protest against the price hikes in fuel and daily essentials and the killing of five BNP leaders and activists in the recent movement and demanding the unconditional release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The party has already arranged two massive rallies in Chattogram and Mymensingh.

BNP leaders alleged that many BNP leaders and activists were attacked, arrested and implicated in ‘false’ cases in Chattogram and Mymensingh over holding the rally.

Talks with two parties

Earlier, Fakhrul had separate meetings with the delegations of Bangladesh Jatiya Dal and Bangladesh Islamic Party, two components of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, as part of their party’s second round of political dialogue.

Fakhrul said that they agreed to some demands of their coming simultaneous movement, including the ouster of the current government, restoration of democracy, unconditional release of Khaleda Zia and withdrawal of the false cases filed against the opposition leaders and activists and holding the next polls under a non-party neutral government.

“We’ll initiate a simultaneous movement focusing on these issues.”